California needs controls on fracking

Published 5:20 pm, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

California may be floating atop the nation's biggest pool of oil, over 15 billion barrels that are best tapped by a technique that comes with serious risks. This state can't ignore this energy mother lode, but it needs strong rules to curb potential harm and ease public worries.

The risks and rewards of this potential oil boom are why the Legislature should pass SB4, which has the potential to protect California and set national standards for new drilling technology. The measure focuses on hydraulic fracturing, better known as fracking, which injects a brew of chemicals, water and sand to break up rocks and collect oil.

But the hazards to the water supply in a drought-prone state make widespread fracking a tough sell. Added to that is political pressure from oil companies that oppose expanded controls on a powerful new tool.

State legislators, heading into the final two weeks of this session, will need to wade through the noise and lobbying to focus on the measure, crafted by Sen. Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills (Los Angeles County), one of the Legislature's top environmentalists.

Her bill contains a package of controls, disclosures and upgraded permits. It allows fracking, but with the oversight and transparency that the technology needs to win over a wary public. It requires drillers to list the chemicals in use but permits the proportions of this "secret sauce" to remain a trade secret, a major oil industry demand.

The measure goes much further than those in other states, which are undergoing fracking booms, giving California a chance to create a standard that could be widely adopted.

Fracking isn't new, but industry advances have pushed it into wider use. In a state with 30 million cars and the nation's largest population, oil will be a necessity for years, even as California leads the way in green technology.

As the legislative session winds down, it's chaos time in Sacramento, especially for a major bill such as this. Some lawmakers may be tempted to duck this difficult vote. We'll be watching. SB4 represents a modest but essential check on fracking. It deserves to pass, and to be signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown.

The drilling divide

Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, uses a mix of water, sand and chemicals to open up rock formations that hold oil or natural gas.

Pros: New technology is unlocking vast amounts of oil and gas, lowering natural gas prices dramatically and adding to oil supplies. The technique boosts economies in other states, so why not here, where the potential may be greater?